Rule 51. Broken Sticks

(a) A player or goaltender without a stick may participate in the game. A player or goaltender whose stick has been broken must drop the broken portions to the floor immediately. A Minor penalty shall be assessed for an infraction of this rule.

Note: When a player discards the broken portions of a stick by tossing them to the side of the rink (not over the boards) in such a way that they do not interfere with play or opposing players, no penalty shall be assessed.

(b) A player who has lost or broken their stick may only receive another stick at their own players’ bench or be handed one from a teammate on the floor, and may not receive a stick thrown on the floor from any part of the rink. A Minor penalty shall be assessed for an infraction of this rule.

Note: A player tendered a stick from the bench (players’ or penalty) thrown on the floor, who does not pick up the stick, will not receive a penalty. The person responsible for throwing the stick will receive a penalty, as covered in Rule 66 (d) – Interference.

(c) A goaltender who breaks or loses their stick may use a stick of a player handed to their by a player until the next stoppage of play. In this case the players’ stick will not be considered an illegal stick. A goaltender may not continue to play with a broken stick of any kind.

(d) A goaltender may receive a stick from a teammate without proceeding to their player’s bench providing the stick is handed to their . A goaltender receiving a stick illegally shall be assessed a Minor penalty.

(e) A goaltender may not go to the players’ bench during a stoppage of play for a replacement of their stick, but must receive their stick from a teammate. For a violation of this section, a Minor penalty for Delay of Game shall be assessed the goaltender.

SITUATION 1 Rule 51 (b)
QUESTION: A player on the penalty bench hands a stick to a teammate on the floor, whose stick has been broken. What is the penalty?
ANSWER: The player receiving the stick would be assessed a Minor penalty for “illegally receiving a stick”. The player in the penalty box handing the stick to the player on the floor would not bevassessed any penalty.

SITUATION 2 Rule 51 (b)
A player without a stick picks up a stick thrown to them on the floor from their players’ bench. This player is to be assessed a Minor penalty for “illegally receiving a stick”. If the person (player or team official) throwing the stick is identified by the Referee, they shall be assessed a Bench Minor and Game Misconduct, under Rule 66 (d) – Interference. If the person (player or team official) throwing the stick is not identified by the Referee, a Bench Minor penalty shall be assessed to the Team responsible for such action, under Rule 66 (c) – Interference. If the player on the floor does NOT pick up the stick, then they would not be assessed a penalty, but the action of throwing the stick on the floor from the bench would still be penalized as described above.

SITUATION 3 Rule 51 (b)
A player of Team “A” who has broken their stick, picks up a stick thrown from the bench of Team “B”, intended for a player of Team “B” who has also broken their stick.
QUESTION: What penalties are assessed?
ANSWER: The player of Team “A” who picks up the stick shall be assessed a Minor penalty for “illegally receiving a stick”. Team “B” shall also receive a Bench Minor penalty if the Referee is unable to identify the player or team official who threw the stick on the floor. Should the Referee be able to identify the player or team official who threw the stick on the floor then they shall be assessed a Bench Minor and Game Misconduct.

SITUATION 4
Where a player with a stick in their hands shoots a broken stick on the floor at an opposing player and hits the opponent or interferes with their progress, whether or not they have the ball, assess a Minor penalty for interference, under Rule 66 (a)(1). If the player is injured by the broken stick, assess a Major and Game Misconduct for interference, under Rule 66 (e). A Match penalty may be assessed if, in the opinion of the Referee, there was either deliberate injury or deliberate attempt to injure.

SITUATION 5 Rule 51 (b) & (d)
If a player on the floor shoots the stick back to a player or goaltender who has lost their stick and by doing so interferes with the play or opposing players in any manner, that player shall be assessed a Minor penalty, for interference, under Rule 66 (a)(1). If a player on the floor shoots the stick back to a player or goaltender who has lost their stick and by doing so does not interfere in any manner with the play or opposing players, no penalty shall be assessed (this rule is consistent with the guidelines for kicking a stick back to a teammate as found in Rule 82, Situation 4). If the player or goaltender who lost their stick picks up the stick shot at them, that player or goaltender shall not be assessed a penalty.

SITUATION 6 Rules 51 (a) & (b)
No. 6 of Team “A” has lost or dropped their stick. No. 10 of Team “A” hands their stick to No. 6. After a period of time, with play still in progress, No. 6 hands the stick back to No. 10 who has still not received another stick. This is perfectly legal. Following this second exchange of sticks, No. 6 picks up their stick which is lying on the floor.
RULING: No penalty to No. 6.
REASON: The only player who can pick up the stick on the floor and use it to participate in the play is the original player who dropped it, regardless if they have played with another stick in the meantime.

SITUATION 7 Rules 51 (a) & (b)
QUESTION: Is there a limit to the number of times that sticks can be exchanged from player to player on the floor where one player is participating without a stick
ANSWER: No.

SITUATION 8 Rule 51 (c)
A goaltender who breaks or loses their stick will be allowed to play with a regular player’s stick only until the next stoppage of play. The player’s stick must be handed to the goaltender according to the rules (see Rule 51, Situation 11). The goaltender will be compelled to obtain a regular goaltender’s stick at the first stoppage of play.

SITUATION 9 Rule 51 (d)
QUESTION: A goaltender has lost their stick in the corner. Can any defending player pick it up and bring it back to the goaltender, without being assessed a penalty?
ANSWER: Yes, as long as that player does not participate in the play while carrying the goaltender’s stick. See Rule 21 (a), Situation 3.

SITUATION 10 Rule 51 (d)
A player carrying a goaltender’s stick to a goaltender who has lost or broken their stick, decides to become involved in the play. The player drops the goaltender’s stick and participates in the play.
RULING: Assess the player a Minor penalty for interference. Once the player makes the commitment to carry the stick to the goaltender, they must follow through with that commitment. As long as they in no way participates with the play, no penalty would be assessed for carrying the stick to the goaltender, even though the player may be in the vicinity of the play.

SITUATION 11
QUESTION: A goaltender breaks their stick. A player of the same team, gets a stick at the players’ bench and in the act of taking the stick to the goaltender, the player slides the stick along the floor to the goaltender. Is that considered legal?
ANSWER: No. A goaltender may receive a new goaltender’s stick without proceeding to the players’ bench. A player may carry a new stick back to the goaltender. After receiving a new goaltender’s stick from the bench, the player may not throw or slide the stick along the floor but must carry the stick back to the goaltender and hand it to them. A player who slides or throws a stick to the goaltender is to be assessed a Minor penalty under Rule 82 (c) – Throwing Stick. A Penalty Shot may be awarded under Rule 82 (a) if the player throws the stick at the ball or ball carrier in their defending zone. If the goaltender picks up the stick, they shall be assessed a Minor penalty, for “illegally receiving a stick”. No penalty is to be assessed against the goaltender in the above situation if they do not pick up the stick.
If the player interferes with an opposing player or the ball while carrying the extra stick, they shall be assessed a Minor penalty for using an “illegal stick”, under Rule 21 (d) – Sticks